Letter

Gas tax makes sense to me

The recently enacted gas tax is an example of good common-sense legislation. New Hampshire roads and bridges need attention, whether it is I-93 to attract business and tourism or smaller roads to save on wear and tear on our cars. The 4-cent tax increase in a tax that has not been increased in over 20 years will cost me about $27 a year (20,000 miles at 30 miles per gallon), and it will add about $29 million each year to the Highway Fund and produce $4 million in block grants to cities and towns — that seems fair to me!

In a recent letter, my opponents in Hillsborough County District 38 — which includes Wilton, Lyndeborough, Greenville, Greenfield, Hancock, Francestown, Bennington, Antrim, Windsor and Hillsborough — implied that Highway Fund money was being diverted to other uses. The fact is that Article 6A of the New Hampshire Constitution states that the Highway Fund can be used only for roads and bridges and their supervision. Addressing our infrastructure is a priority that creates jobs and improves our day-to-day lives. I hope to join my colleague, Dick McNamara, in the State Legislature and to work toward common-sense and bipartisan approaches to this and other New Hampshire challenges. Respectfully,